Little is known of Denth's life before he shows up in Hallandren. Denth was originally known as VaraTreledees and was a scholar before the Manywar. He hates Vasher for killing his sister Shashara and does not care that Vasher did it to protect the secret of Awakening steel.

Some time after the Manywar he took the name Denth and created a mercenary band with Tonk Fah, Jewels, and Arsteel. At some point Arsteel encountered Vasher and was killed by him. Denth took this opportunity to see how a dead Returned works as a Lifeless, and they renamed him Clod.

Denth conspires with the Pahn Kahl rebels to overthrow the God King's parliament. Denth and his band infiltrate the Idrian spy network to kidnap Vivenna. Acting as mercenaries working for Lemex they befriended Vivenna after they poisoned Lemex and made it look like he died of illness. Denth uses Vivenna to increase tensions between Hallandren and Idris to drive Hallandren to war. Later, after Vivenna is kidnapped by Vasher, Denth and Tonk Fah torture and kill Parlin, Vivenna's friend to try and discover where she has gone. When Vivenna escapes from Vasher and returns to the safe house she uncovers the truth about Denth and Tonk Fah and Denth is attacked by Clod on Vivenna's command and then she escapes. Denth catches Vasher while he is attemping to rescue Vivenna's sister Siri who is living in the god king's palace. Denth then has Vasher's sword Nightblood thrown in the water so it can cause no further harm, then has Vasher hung by his wrists in a room with no color in the god king's palace to interrogate him. After retrieving Nightblood, Vivenna is able to assist in Vasher's escape. Denth is killed by Vasher in a duel. Vasher stabs Denth after transferring what Breath he had left into Denth to stun him. Vasher was not a better swordsman than Denth, and this was known by both characters.

During the Pahn Kahl Rebellion, Denth fights a duel with Vasher to prove that Vasher is not a better swordsman than Arsteel, and to find out how he won. Denth's fight with Vasher reveals that Denth is the better swordsman, however Vasher is more cunning. Vasher gives his Breaths to Denth, effectively stunning him for a moment and Vasher runs him through with his dagger. As Denth dies, his hair flashes between colors, eventually falling to stark white. This reveals that Denth has the Royal Locks, independent from being a Returned.[9]